Luke Amidala, part 3

Summary: ((A direct sequel to the previous two stories. Decided might as well finish it up.)) Luke Amidala slowly fights his way free of his coma, but is kidnapped by Palpatine and goes missing for two years. When the second Death Star is stolen, Luke's family believes they will finally face Palpatine and find Luke.

It was hard to wake up. It was a battle to keep conscious. So much seemed to be pulling down on him. It was far easier to let the blackness win. To slip back into empty slumber. But Luke Amidala fought it, and he wasn't alone. His mother was there. She was always smiling and giving him soft kisses on the cheek each time he finally awoke.

There was also Leia. Though he had only known her briefly, he now felt like her knew much longer. She smiled and laughed as she told him stories. Many of which he had a hard time following because it was hard to stay awake. It took up a lot of his focus. But it was nice to see her smile.

Twice he had seen his friends. Wedge Antilles, Biggs Darklighter, Hobbie, and a few other fighter pilots. They all talked over each other and spoke so animatedly. They all had huge smiles.

Lastly there was him. Darth Vader. Luke's . . . father. He rarely said anything, but Luke felt him. Vader's presence was cold and inky, but also soothing. It wrapped around Luke and seemed to be strengthening and pulling him up and out of his never ending battle with sleep. It seemed to get a bit easier to wake up and stay awake longer after one of Vader's visits.

Even now as Luke pushed himself to wake up, it was far easier and quicker than it used to be. The effort of finally getting his eyes open sent him tumbling back asleep. But now with a bit of focused work, he found himself awake. It was night time. The room was cast in dark shades of blue and purple.

And no one was there. No Leia or his mother or Vader. They weren't always there. Luke debated on just going back to sleep. Perhaps next time he woke up someone be there. It was a little too lonely all by himself. He sighed and was about to close his eyes, when movement caught his eye.

He looked towards the window. There was something there. A dark shadow. The shape of a person. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he felt the person staring at him. Then they took a step forward. Paused. Then walked forward again. As they came closer, Luke noticed they were wearing a dark cape with the hood drawn up.

They stopped at the edge of his bed. A human hand came up and pulled down the hood. Luke frowned.

"Mara," he grumbled.

"Rebel boy," she said with a smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"My master would like a word with you."

"I already said no," Luke said remembering the last and only conversation he had with Emperor Palpatine.

"That isn't an option," Mara said as she pulled out a hypospray.

Luke flinched and pushed himself up. But his movements were slow. He felt something cold pushed against his arm. He heard the soft click of something releasing. Then he was falling. Falling back on to his bed. Falling back into slumber. Into the dark.

Padmé was hiding. She didn't like to do so, but there were moments when she just wanted to get away. Get away from being the empress. So she found herself here in this room. Luke's room.

Luke . . . Her son. The baby boy she had raised by herself while she fought to create a rebellion against the Empire. Luke who had been taken in the middle of the night while the rest of his family was off planet. That had been two years ago.

There was no doubt it was Palpatine who took and now had him. Vader theorized Palpatine would make Luke his new apprentice after losing Vader. Palpatine would want someone strong in the Force.

"There is no way Luke would agree!" Padmé had shouted.

"Do not underestimate Palpatine," Vader replied. "His evil knows no limits, and he is very powerful in the Dark Side. I fear what he may do to get Luke to turn, for I do not think Luke would turn willingly."

Despite the best efforts of Padmé and Vader, they had found no clues of Luke. No clues of Palpatine either. At least direct clues to where the foul creature was lurking. There were lots of signs he was pulling strings from the shadows, but there was nothing concrete to go after.

A lot had changed in the past two years. Padmé was recreating the Empire. Unifying it. Strengthening it. Palpatine sought to break it apart, and then he would be the one to come in and bring it back together. She wasn't going to let him. So her first goal was strengthening the current Empire. It was broken and shattered as groups broke into smaller cells. Vader had wanted to go after these cells and force them to return. Padmé said first they needed a loyal support amongst the people they already had.

The first thing she did was change Vader. He was a ruthless commander. A murderer. Who struck fear into all. There was no point in arguing his past crimes, but she could cast them in another light. It was simple, just blame it all on Palpatine. She wove a tale that Vader was a slave, forced to do his master's bidding. She released Vader's horrendous medical records to the press, which detailed the living hell he had been living in.

Vader was not pleased by this. He did argue about it, but he didn't win against Padmé. Mostly because the next step of the plan was to have Vader undergo new medical treatment. It had broken her heart to learn what had happened to her husband. What he had lived with for twenty years. Vader hated it as well and was willing to ease his pain.

Some of the damage was impossible to repair, but Vader was better. The list of changes was an exhaustive one. He gone through many procedures. Overall his health was much better. He also looked different. The old suit had been thrown away. He no longer hid his face. Instead he wore a thick metal collar that extended up and over his nose and mouth. This gave him the needed respirator for his lungs. It left the rest of his head uncovered. His head was bald and covered in scars. At first he hated going without the mask and helmet, but now seemed to be more at ease with it.

The second change was to wage war on slavery. Padmé knew this was one thing she knew she could easily and quickly get Vader behind, and she was right. Vader was all too willing to destroy any slavers such as the Hutts and Zygerrians. But it had to go beyond that. It also meant revealing to the public the Empire used slave labor. The Empire's slaves were freed. They were given medical care, credits, and the option to return home, wherever that may be. Planets like Kashyyk were 'returned' back to their rightful inhabitants. Then the Empire worked with the people to restore their homes.

There were of course those who hated this. There were those who betrayed the Empire. Those who broke away and joined some of the splinter cells. But Padmé was trying to right the wrongs. True they had lost individuals and companies with a lot of power and resources. They had depended on slave labor to help their profits. They were too used to the sense of entitlement and power it gave them. The entitlement Palpatine encouraged and created. Padmé was not sad to see them go.

Laws were reexamined to be more fair. Tons of prisoners were released. The senate was reestablished.

The Empire had lost a lot of money from these endeavours. But finally after two years, they were finally starting to see returns. Planets that had been enslaved or heavily enforced by Imperial military were starting to heal. New businesses and trade were starting to blossom. Overall the Empire was a happier one, which Padmé considered an impressive feat considering they were still at war.

Various fractions had come and gone over the two years. Some had been defeated by Vader. Others dissolved. Others joined another group. Now there were only a few big players with the biggest being the Empire, the Rebel Alliance, and a splinter group of the Empire calling themselves the True Empire. It was this last group that Vader believed was secretly being run by Palpatine. A lot of Palpatine's supporters had joined the True Empire. Thus it was watched the closest.

Vader stood in front of the large viewport in front on the bridge of the Executor. His hands were clasped behind his back. He wasn't dressed in his emperor suit, the one that showed his face. That one made him more human and thus more sympathetic. He was now in his battle suit. It wasn't the same as his old suit. The mask and helmet were different. The control box on his chest was smaller and lighter. But it was still all black.

"Never underestimate the power of a good outfit," Padmé had said. "We don't want you roaming around in your old suit. Remember, we're trying to step away from the image of Palpatine's Empire. But you in a battle suit still invokes power and fear. We need that too."

He would take whatever edge he could. For this was it, he was certain. Palpatine had finally made his move after two and a half years of waiting. He had stolen the second Death Star. It along with the True Empire's forces were in the Sava System. Finally, Palpatine would reveal himself. Finally, Vader would destroy him. Finally, he would get his son back.

Padmé stood beside him at the viewport. She was dressed in her battle outfit, as she called it. It was a simple affair, especially compared to some of her more elaborate outfits. It was a bright red coat with white and black detailing. It had a military style to it. She wore simple black pants and boots with it. Her hair was done up in a simple bun.

Next to her stood Leia. She was dressed as a Jedi in tan tunics and a brown robe. Despite Vader's very vocal dislike of the Jedi, he had never managed to persuade his daughter to abandon such foolish ideals. It didn't help that Padmé was very supportive of Leia as a Jedi. Claimed it helped the Empire's image. That it helped Vader's image. He didn't want to argue with that point. He didn't want to mention how many Jedi he had personally slain. Not to Padmé. Not to Leia.

Yet regardless of what they were, emperor, empress, Jedi, Sith, ex-rebel, they stood there together. As a family. As a mother, father, and daughter. They all looked at the hulking mass of the uncompleted second Death Star. All of them thinking of Luke. And of Palpatine.

Vader turned his helmet slightly. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Leia nodded and Padmé looked at her husband and daughter. She was unhappy that she was to stay behind. Someone needed to stay and lead the fleet and troops. Padmé had objected. She had never given up on Luke. She wanted to be the one to find her son. Vader could feel her pain in the Force, but it was for the best. Padmé would be no match against Palpatine. No match against Luke if it came to that.

Vader's fleet had just arrived. It wasn't long before they were hailed. He ordered the coms opened. The hooded figure of Palpatine was projected on a large holo.

"Vader," he hissed. No title. Not even darth.

"Palpatine," Vader replied evenly. "I have come to negotiate."

"Negotiate? Ha!" Palpatine laughed. "Negotiate your surrender before I blow your fleet apart?"

Vader's hands tightened into fists.

"Do you accept?" Padmé said taking a step forward.

"And who will do the negotiating?" Palpatine said. "You?"

"No," Vader said. "I will."

Palpatine paused. "Good. Good," he said. "Then come. I will be waiting, my old friend."

It was a long ride up to where ever Palpatine awaited them. Leia glanced over at Vader. They stood in a turbolift. Four troopers in black amour stood around them. Vader was looking straight ahead. It was in this moment he fully felt like Darth Vader. A raging black storm of the Dark Side. It sent a shiver down Leia's spine. She had never, never, seen her father like this.

Over the past two and a half years, she had come to know him as her father. Often it was in small private intimate moments. She recalled the first time she had let the word slip. Vader completely froze in shock. But in this moment he was not Father, he was Darth Vader.

Finally the lift stopped and the doors slid open. Vader and Leia stepped out into a dark room. On the far side was a large window. In front of it sat a chair in which a robed figure sat. Vader didn't hesitate. He marched forward.

"Palpatine," Vader said as he came to a stop at the bottom of a small set of stairs that led up to the throne.

"Anakin," Palpatine answered back. "Here to grovel at my feet?"

"I am here for my son," Vader said as one of his hands balled into a fist. The other rested on top of his lightsaber.

"Son?" Palpatine said with a slight crook of his head. "Ah yes. I remember now. Your son."

A tense silence stretched across the room. Palpatine raised his hands. Both were metal prosthetics. He had lost them to Vader, who had cut them off when Palpatine had used his lightning to hurt Luke. A chill ran up Leia's spin as she heard footsteps approaching. Out of the shadows to Palpatine's left came a figure.

It was Luke. He was dressed all in a fitted black outfit with black gloves. His hair was shorter and darker. The skin around his eyes were dark as if he hadn't slept in days. A lightsaber hung on his belt.

"I don't believe you've met my new apprentice," Palpatine said in a light hearted tone. "I had to replace the old one. Turned traitor, that one. Darth Natus step forward."

The anger inside Vader rose. The hair on Leia's arms stood on end. The air felt heavy and charged, as if at any moment lightning would strike.

"I see your confusion, girl," Palpatine said. "Natus means to produce, give birth. It means son."

A long silence stretched across the throne room. It was Vader's deep voice that broke it.

"Luke," Vader said. "Your mother is waiting for you. Come." He held his hand out to Luke.

Luke didn't move, but he did look at Vader's outstretched hand. After a moment, he cocked his head to the side and then looked at Palpatine, who only laughed a wheezy laugh.

"Did you really think that would work?" Palpatine said as his laughter died down. "Oh this has been amusing, but I tire of it. Natus." Luke snapped to attention. "Kill him."

It happened in a blur. Luke had his lightsaber in his hand. A red blade glowing from it. He jumped down the steps right at Vader. But Vader already had his own blade up. Red against red. Leia pulled her own lightsaber free, but didn't join the battle. Instead she just watched as father and son dueled.

It was heartbreaking. Luke attacked with such power. Such hatred. His attacks were heavy and ruthless. It was clear he did not have proper training. He pushed forward on instinct. Luckily, Vader was a good duelist. They two moved across the room. Each time Luke brought his blade down, it was for the kill. Vader was only fighting to disarm. It was a hard fight.

And then Vader slipped. Leia gasped. Luke hammered down blow after blow as Vader fell down to one knee. And then with a sharp slash, Luke cut through Vader's lightsaber arm. The hand was cleanly severed off. Luke paused as he looked down at his unarmed opponent. Then he brought his saber up, held it for a moment, and brought it down.

A scream broke through the room. It wasn't Vader's nor Leia's. It was Luke's as Leia's lightsaber slashed through Luke's arm. His hand, holding the lightsaber, fell to the ground. Luke fell to one knee clutching his injured arm. Leia stood over him pointing her blue lightsaber, her father's lightsaber, at Luke.

"Useless!" Palpatine shouted.

He stood up from his throne. Sparks danced from his fingertips. How? Leia thought. He shouldn't be able to do that with his prosthetics.

"You will all die here!" Palpatine shouted as the blue lightning zigzagged across the room right at the three Skywalkers.

Leia jumped in front. Her blade caught the blast, but Force! It was hard to hold it off. She took a small step back and then another. She was losing ground. Sweat dripped down her face and down her back. Her hands had gone numb. Her eyes watered from the bright light. She took another step back and another until her foot bumped against something. She quickly glanced down to see Luke.

He glanced up at her. His eyes were startling blue in the light. A clear blue. Not a sickly sulfur yellow as Vader's had been when he first went without his mask. They weren't even the clouded blue like Vader's were currently. But a clear sky blue. Like it had been when they first met on Tatooine.

"What?" Leia said softly.

And then the lightning jumped off her blade. It went wild. It struck all around them. Palpatine let out a scream. Leia looked through the dancing lightning to see streaks racing out of Palpatine's arms. Some arched back into his face and body. Over and over again he was electrocuted. Then it just suddenly stopped. The lightning. The screams. It went dark and quiet, save for the sound of Palpatine's body hitting the floor.

No one moved. No one said anything. Then Luke slowly rose to his feet.

"It's done," he said in a whisper.

Leia turned to him. "Luke?" she asked. "Are you . . .?"

"I am," he said with a small smile. "It's me. It's always been me."

Vader pushed himself to his feet. "What did you do?" he asked.

Luke looked back at the corpse. "I let him think he had destroyed me. Remade me. Then I offered to work on his arms so he could use the Force lightning again. When he tested them out, they worked fine not knowing I had engineered them to overload with extended use."

Leia and Vader just stared at Luke. Luke blinked and then shrugged.

"Can we go?" he finally asked. "You said . . . you said my mom was waiting."

Leia nodded. The three of them, as a family, left together.

Luke was finally alone in the room given to him on board the Executor. He had already visited the medbay. His arm was in a med cuff where it suddenly ended. He knew there was a chance he might be maimed. He also knew there was a chance he might die, and he was ready for it.

He had to put up the perfect act. He had to make Palpatine believe he had fallen to the Dark Side. Believe he was now loyal to him. And only him. Luke had to lock away apart of himself, and let a new part grow and fester. But when Luke offered to work on his master's prosthetic arms to it so he could shoot Force lightning again, the old Luke snuck out. Perhaps the new dark Luke also knew better as well. It was self preservation.

Luke didn't know when Palpatine would use his lightning for an extended amount of time. The amount of time needed to overload the arms and send electric shocks through the body. It could have been while Palpatine was torturing Luke. When he was torturing someone else. But it would come. Eventually. And it did.

The door opened behind him. He turned to see his father . . . Darth Vader. Vader walked through the room and came to stand beside Luke at the viewport. Vader no longer wore the new battlesuit. He now wore the suit that showed half of his face. Though Luke had seen it before on the Holonet, it was odd to see it in person.

"How . . . How are you?" Vader asked.

"I don't know," Luke said honestly. "I'm not in any pain. But . . . I just . . . I don't know."

"You do not know who you are," Vader continued.

Luke was quiet. Vader was right. Who was he? Luke Amidala? Luke the Rebel? But his mother had left the rebellion two and half years ago. So was he Luke the Imperial Prince? Son of Emperor Vader and Empress Amidala? Or was he still the Sith apprentice of Palpatine? Darth Natus?

"I understand," Vader said. "So much has changed since . . . since you and your mother and your sister came into my life. I found myself lost. Who was I? Darth Vader? Anakin Skywalker?" Vader paused. He was looking intently at Luke. "I realized I was no longer Darth Vader or Anakin Skywalker. I was someone else. Someone new. I can not go back to being who I was. I can only go forward."

Long after Vader had left, Luke thought on his father's words. He couldn't go back to who he was. He could only go forward as someone new. Those words sounded right. He wasn't sure who this new person was, but he was willing to find out.

He would get a prosthetic arm. He would spend time with his family. And then he wanted to go out in the galaxy. He wanted to find Mara Jade, who hadn't been on the Death Star when it exploded. She had been sent out on a mission. What would she do now? Palpatine had been her whole life. She would also need to become someone new.

It wasn't just Luke or Vader or Mara who needed to become someone new. Luke's mother would need to change. Luke doubted she would keep the Empire going for much longer. Slowly she would recreate the Republic and establish a democratic government. Luke wondered what would become of Leia. No longer was she the rebel Jedi nor would be the Imperial princess, which wasn't a role she had ever taken up anyway.

The whole galaxy was changing. It would all become something new.